Department for Transport

Railways: North of England

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of (1) delay, and (2) cost increases, to the Transpennine Route upgrade as a result of changing ministerial priorities.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a major and complex rail project. Ministerial priorities outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan means TRU will now provide further benefits to rail users on the main corridor across the Pennines. Full electrification, digital signaling, reduction of journey times and better access at stations will lead to an improved experience for passengers and freight users. The department, working with stakeholders regularly assess any risks to schedule and increase in costs and will continue to do so throughout the development of the programme to ensure that public money is spent effectively.

Road Traffic Control

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to deliver traffic reduction schemes that (1) incentivise people to switch to cleaner modes of transport, and (2) support those who might struggle to get around without a car, to access (a) newer, and (b) less polluting, vehicles.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Local authorities are responsible for delivering traffic reduction schemes as they are best placed to make the decisions that will deliver the practical changes required. However, as set out in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the Government is committed to supporting places reduce emissions from transport while making journeys better.We have invested in a range of schemes to help local transport authorities to manage demand on their roads. This includes £4.8 billion of funding via the Levelling-Up Fund, which so far through Round One has allocated funding for 19 places to deliver transport-based projects with decarbonisation benefits. We have also supported innovative trials through the Future Transport Zones programme, such as the Transport for West Midlands Mobility Credits pilot which is helping Coventry residents switch their old, more polluting, cars for local bus and rail services as well as car clubs or bike share schemes.In April, we published the Local Authority Decarbonisation Toolkit, which provides practical support to authorities to help encourage sustainable travel whilst also providing accessible transport services and access to newer and less polluting transport options, like car clubs. We will continue to support local authorities to drive improvements through their Local Transport Plans.

Railways: Finance

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline to be updated; and why it has not been updated "on an annual basis", as set out in theRail Network Enhancements Pipeline Autumn 2019 Schemes Update, published on 4 April 2019.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The forthcoming Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) update has been delayed to take account of the way the pandemic changed the way our railways are used. We need to ensure that the projects that we take forward reflect this changed shape of rail demand whilst remaining affordable. The Spending Review set out funding that allows us to continue to invest at record levels. It is important that we are able to provide as much clarity and certainty as possible and the forthcoming RNEP update will do this.

Antimicrobials: Pollution Control

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton (HL1417), in respect of properties in Park Village East which may be subject to settlement due to tunnelling or other construction works in the vicinity, what information has been provided by HS2 Ltd in its engagement “with affected parties in the development of the current design”; and whether they will place all relevant papers, including any independent reports on ground movement, in the Library of the House.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: HS2 Ltd has kept local residents informed about the plans for the HS2 Euston Approaches through (i) a series of regular online and face to face information sessions; and (ii) online materials made available on the HS2 Ltd website.Most recently, in Spring 2022, HS2 Ltd hosted a series of information sessions, where updates were provided on the development of the design of the Euston Approaches, including the proposed tunnels. These virtual and in person information sessions were attended by Park Village East residents. The online materials include a Frequently Asked Questions document, which includes details of the developing designs, along with detailed responses to regular questions received from Park Village East residents about tunnelling and excavations.In parallel, HS2 Ltd has been in regular contact with relevant residents to arrange property surveys and other investigations to inform ground movement assessments associated with the proposed major excavations and tunnelling. As the detailed design of the tunnels progresses, HS2 Ltd will carry out further assessments and provide updates to relevant property owners. Property owners within the settlement buffer zone are able to apply for a settlement deed under the HS2 Act.Details of the final design are expected to be available to share. HS2 plan to finalise and share the tunnel design in spring 2023 and will keep the community informed if dates change, with tunnelling due to start in mid to late 2023.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Carbon Emissions

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether clause 111 of the Energy Bill, which seeks to amend the definition of carbon removals in section 29 of the Climate Change Act 2008, would allow the meeting of emission reductions targets by the purchase of offsets or other traded instruments.

Lord Callanan: The clause does not have this effect. The intention behind clause 111 is to broaden the definition of “removals” of greenhouse gases beyond nature-based greenhouse gas removal methods (GGRs), such as tree planting, to include those achieved by engineered GGRs, such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage. The Government does not currently intend to purchase offsets to set towards its carbon budgets, although it has retained the option to do so in the future if appropriate, as permitted by the Climate Change Act 2008.

Carbon Emissions

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the data presented in theNet Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, published on19 October 2021, showing that they anticipate the UK emitting 2073 MtCO2e over the period covered by Carbon Budget 4 (2023–2027), how they intend to meet their binding commitment of 1950 MTCO2e set out in the Carbon Budget Order 2011.

Lord Callanan: The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out a decarbonisation pathway to meet all carbon budgets. The figure quoted includes emissions from international aviation and shipping, which are not in scope for Carbon Budget 4 (CB4). Table 9 of the technical annex shows emissions contributing to CB4 (which does not include international aviation and shipping emissions) would be 359 MtCO2e on average per year, equivalent to 1793 MtCO2e over the five-year budget. This figure also uses the global warming potential methodology which was agreed internationally at COP 26.

Department for Education

Nurses: Training

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of their decision to terminate the BTEC qualification in Health and Social Care on the numbers of students applying for courses to qualify as nurses; and what percentage of students starting nursing courses in each of the last three years have achieved this qualification.

Baroness Barran: The department has been clear that it will continue to fund some BTEC courses and other qualifications in future where there is a clear need for skills and knowledge that A levels and T Levels cannot provide, and where they meet new quality standards. The government intends to fund small academic qualifications that should typically be taken alongside A levels in priority areas such as STEM subjects, and in areas where an A level is not available, such as health and social care. We will set out the full approval criteria in the autumn.The department is reforming the system to ensure all qualifications approved for funding are high quality, have a clear purpose, and deliver great outcomes. T Levels have been developed with over 250 leading employers, have significantly longer teaching hours and include a meaningful nine-week industry placement that sets them apart from many current vocational qualifications. The Health T Level will help raise awareness amongst young people of the occupational choices within the healthcare sector and provide an opportunity for employers to strengthen their engagement with local schools and colleges. In addition, the Health T Level will provide a pipeline of young talent who may move into Trainee Nursing Associate and Assistant Health Practitioner roles, later progressing to the registered occupations.As a department, we don’t hold the data on the percentage of students starting nursing courses in each of the last three years.

Arts and Humanities: Higher Education

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sufficient funding for arts and humanities subjects in higher education in the (1) short, and (2) long, term; and what assessment they have made of (a) the potential shortfall in funding after the cessation of funding from the European Research Council ceases, and (b) general pressures on funding for arts and humanities subjects in higher education.

Baroness Barran: The government recognises the importance of the creative arts to the economy and the UK’s soft power. High-quality provision in a range of subjects is critical for our workforce and our public services and is culturally-enriching for our society. For the 2022/23 academic year, the Office for Students has increased the high-cost subject funding rate per student for performing and creative arts and media studies to £125.76, a rise of 3.51%, and for archaeology to £264.50, a rise of 4.75%, from the previous year. The department has also increased funding for world-leading specialist providers, including 11 providers specialising in the arts, by an additional £5 million in the 2022/23 financial year, on top of the increase of £10 million provided in the 2021/22 financial year. The department wants to ensure that such providers receive additional support, and that grant funding is used effectively to support students, including those with an interest in the cultural and creative sectors. UK Research and Innovation is also providing significant investment over the current Spending Review period, with funding for the Arts and Humanities Research Council totalling £207 million for the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years. Research England has published its funding decisions for university research and knowledge exchange, expected to be £8 billion over the Spending Review period. Proportional allocations across disciplinary areas have been maintained, recognising the significant contribution to culture and quality of life from the arts and humanities.

Ministry of Justice

Life Imprisonment

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people received a life sentence with a tariff of 25 years or more and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29 (5) 30 to 34 (6) 35 to 39 (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (19) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing, in each year since 2002.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) mean, and (2) median, tariff length for people receiving a life sentence aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 20, (c) 21 to 24, (d) 25 to 29, (e) 30 to 34, (f) 35 to 39, (g) 40 to 49, (h) 50 to 59, (i) 60 to 69, and (j) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing, in each year since 2002.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were serving an imprisonment for public protection sentence with a tariff of 10 years or more in each year since 2002; and of those, how many were aged (1) 18 to 20, (2) 21to 24, (3) 25 to 29, (4) 30 to 34, (5) 35 to 39, (6) 40 to 49, (7) 50 to 59, (8) 60 to 69, (9) 70 and older, at the time of sentencing.

Lord Bellamy: By law, prisoners serving life and other indeterminate sentences must complete their tariff in custody and thereafter be released only when the Parole Board concludes that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public for them to remain confined to custody. The Government is committed to supporting prisoners to reduce their risk and so progress towards safe release, but the priority is always to protect the public.HL1735The following table shows the number of prisoners that received a life sentence with a tariff of 25 years or more and were (1) under 18, (2) 18 to 20, (3) 21 to 24, (4) 25 to 29 (5) 30 to 34 (6) 35 to 39 (7) 40 to 49, (8) 50 to 59, (9) 60 to 69, and (19) 70 years and older, at the time of sentencing, in each year since 2002. Age at Sentence (in years)Year of sentenceUnder 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 2930 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 5960 to 6970+200200*000*000200300***00000200400*****00020050*96387*00200603102499940020070*613346*0020080*112114715*0020090*622765500201005101213118**020110*1611116114*02012*61626141110*402013041021181113**0201409261612675*02015051217109134*02016*510121112106*020170*17154121130020180525151511159*020190111420191811400202003151361493**2021*14202219916530HL1736The following tables show the (1) mean, and (2) median, tariff length for people receiving a life sentence aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 20, (c) 21 to 24, (d) 25 to 29, (e) 30 to 34, (f) 35 to 39, (g) 40 to 49, (h) 50 to 59, (i) 60 to 69, and (j) 70 years and older, at the time of sentencing, in each year since 2002.Table 1 – ages (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 20, (c) 21 to 24, (d) 25 to 29 Age at Sentence (in years) Under 1818 to 2021 to 2425 to 29Year of SentenceAverageMedianAverageMedianAverageMedianAverageMedian20027799111191020039999111198200499111112121212200598101113121213200698141313141615200711101414141416142008111115141615191720091211151417162018201012121819181718182011131317172019191820121414191921202122201311111615191820202014121318182120171620151314181919192020201614131616202117172017131317182020181920181313181822232020201915151918212120202020151518182222212220211515191821212021Table 2 – ages (e) 30 to 34, (f) 35 to 39, (g) 40 to 49, (h) 50 to 59 Age at Sentence (in years) 30 to 3435 to 3940 to 4950 to 59Year of SentenceAverageMedianAverageMedianAverageMedianAverageMedian200299889998200310109999742004101110109998200511121212108121220061312121212101312200714141314131213132008171616151614121220091715171515151817201020192017171714132011181718171818161620121917191718171615201319171919171615142014192117171515161620151717182015141515201617171819161617152017161617171616141420182020181716161716201920202117171817182020181820211919141320212019181818181818Table 3 – ages (i) 60 to 69, and (j) 70 years and older Age at Sentence (in years) 60 to 6970 and overYear of SentenceAverageMedianAverageMedian200211118820035511112004101077200576NANA2006121433200797911200898NANA20091313NANA201015149920111513NANA201219171111201314149920141310141220151819109201620161111201710101213201815131313201914151414202015142929202118181414HL1737The following tables show the number of prisoners serving a sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) with a tariff of 10 years or more in each year since 2002; and of those, how many were aged (1) 18 to 20, (2) 21to 24, (3) 25 to 29, (4) 30 to 34, (5) 35 to 39, (6) 40 to 49, (7) 50 to 59, (8) 60 to 69, (9) 70 years and older, at the time of sentencing, as at 30 June 2012 to 2021.Table1 – Year of sentence: 30 June 2012 to 30 June 2016Age at Sentence (in years)Year of Sentence 30/06/201230/06/201330/06/201430/06/201530/06/2016  Total9195949492  18 - 207766621 - 24151615141425 - 29182020212130 - 34111111101035 - 398888840 - 49192021222150 - 599101010960 - 69*****70 and over*****Table 2 – Year of sentence: 30 June 2017 to 30 June 2021Age at Sentence (in years)Year of Sentence 30/06/201730/06/201830/06/201930/06/202030/06/2021  Total9087898476  18 - 20555*021 - 24141212131125 - 29202020191730 - 34101111101135 - 398777*40 - 49212121201750 - 599810111060 - 69*****70 and over*****Notes for all figures:Due to rounding, the interquartile range may not equal the difference between the third and first quartiles.Tariff length is the time between date of sentence and tariff expiry date.Figures do not include whole-life orders.'NA' means not applicableAn asterisk (*) has been used to suppress values of one or two. This is to prevent the disclosure of individual information. Further disclosure control may be completed where this alone is not sufficient.Numbers are subject to revision as more data become available.The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Data has been supplied for as many of the requested years as it is possible to provide within cost limits; earlier years may not be available due to changes in recording over time.

Prison Sentences

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government howmany people received an Extended Determinate Sentence with a custodial period of 10 years or more in each year since 2012, by ethnicity.

Lord Bellamy: The data requested is provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes information on Extended Determinate Sentences and custodial sentence length, by ethnicity, in England and Wales, for the years 2017 to 2021 available in the Outcomes by Offence data tool (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 21 MB).HL1724 Table (xlsx, 18.5KB)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

Lord Selkirk of Douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 July (HL1116), what steps they will take, together with international partners, to seek restitution from the government of Russia for civilian populations in Ukraine which has resulted in (1) extensive loss of life, and (2) damage to buildings in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Putin alone is responsible for the damage and destruction caused by his illegal war in Ukraine. This requires full and urgent reparation by Russia.The UK Government is considering all options for seizing assets that could be used to support the people of Ukraine and contribute towards the reconstruction of their country, closely with international partners.The Foreign Secretary announced (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/ukraine-recovery-conference-foreign-secretarys-remarks-4-july-2022) the UK vision for supporting Ukraine's Reconstruction and Development Plan at the Lugano Ukraine Recovery Conference (4-5 July) and the UK's commitment to host next year's 2023 Reconstruction Conference.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Ministers of Religion

Baroness Massey of Darwen: To ask Her Majesty's Government which professional qualifications relating to non-religious world views such as humanism are undertaken by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy; and which body accredits any such qualifications.

Baroness Goldie: All military Chaplains are accredited by Defence-endorsed sending churches or faith authorities which have committed their Chaplains to appreciate and understand the world views of all personnel irrespective of faith background. The vast majority of Chaplains are, additionally, university graduates whose professional studies will have included study of world views from a variety of spectrums, including humanism. Exact content will vary by institution, and is accredited by the relevant university, or institution.

Department for Work and Pensions

Jobcentres: Armed Forces

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding has been spent to date from the up to £6 million committed for Armed Forces Champions in 2019.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department was allocated specific funding for Armed Forces Champions work in the then Chancellor’s 2019 Spending Round, to be used in 2020/21. The Department’s main priority during the pandemic was to focus on processing claims and paying people quickly, while supporting all those using Jobcentre Plus services. As a result, the planned restructuring of the Armed Forces Champions service planned for April 2020 was paused. The Department introduced a new Armed Forces Champions model in April 2021 using its own existing resources. Officials in the Department have discussed the new model with a number of Armed Forces stakeholders, and it continues to be very well received.

Social Security: Veterans

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the effectiveness of (1) the social security system, and (2) the Department for Work and Pensions' services, in supporting armed forces veterans in making the transition to civilian life.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Most veterans make a very successful transition back to civilian life. 83 percent of those supported by the Career Transition Partnership gain employment within 6 months of discharge – higher than the employment rate of the wider population. This success will mostly be down to the efforts of the individuals concerned. But support from the Career Transition Partnership and DWP Work Coaches and Armed Forces Champions, as well as others, and wider partnership working to support veterans, may also play a part.

Home Office

Offences against Children: Rotherham and Telford

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey will direct (1) the Home Office, and (2) other government departments, to stop using the terms "Asian men" and "men of Pakistani origin" to describe the members of the child sexual exploitation gangs in Rotherham and Telford.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey will initiate an inquiry into the factors that inspired the members of the child sexual exploitation gangs in Rotherham and Telford; and in particular, the extent to which Islamic teachings were a determining factor.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: In 2020 the Government published a paper on the characteristics of group-based child sexual exploitation, setting out the best available evidence on offender characteristics. We know that child sexual exploitation is not exclusive to any single culture, community, race or religion. However, political or cultural sensitivities must not get in the way of uncovering and tackling these devastating crimes, and understanding local community and cultural factors is clearly an important part of this.That is why the Government is working with policing to drive up the quality of police data on child sexual exploitation. As part of this, the Home Secretary has made it mandatory from March 2022 for police forces to record the ethnicity of those held on suspicion of group-based child sexual exploitation. We are also funding dedicated child sexual abuse and exploitation analysts in every policing region, and we will shortly publish an updated version of our Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit, supporting police and local agencies in working together to better understand and disrupt offending in their areas.In addition, the Home Secretary has recently commissioned the policing inspectorate to conduct an inspection into how the police respond to group-based child sexual exploitation. This will ensure policing is learning from past mistakes including those highlighted in the local inquiries in Rotherham and Telford, and that the very best practice is now being put in place by forces across the country.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Coastal Areas: Investment

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to unlock private investment in coastal communities not covered by a freeport.

Lord Harrington of Watford: My Government places great emphasis on ensuring Coastal Communities are at the forefront of the Levelling Up agenda. Our £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund will invest in every part of the UK, including coastal areas and I am keen to see bids come forward from coastal communities in the second round of the Fund. Regeneration and Infrastructure projects - which have the potential to boost private investment - will be a key focus of this workFurthermore, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will provide £2.6 billion of investment across the whole of the United Kingdom by 2025, with building pride in place, including in coastal communities, a key theme of the Fund's work. Every coastal community in the UK will receive an allocation and places will be empowered to identify and build on their own strengths and needs at a local levelLevelling Up funding will unlock the potential of coastal communities by regenerating town centres and getting infrastructure match fit, making coastal communities a more attractive place to do business and boosting private investment.

Community Councils: Reviews

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to launch the review of neighbourhood governance referred to on page 215 of their Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published on 2 February.

Lord Harrington of Watford: As set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, the UK Government is committed to making it easier for local people to come together to set local priorities and improve their places. The Review of Neighbourhood Governance in England will examine the effectiveness of current arrangements including the role and functions of parish councils, and how to make them quicker and easier to establish. As part of the review, we will engage with communities and representative bodies. Further detail on plans for the review will be made available in due course.

Parish and Town Councils: Elections

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to work with the National Association of Local Councils (1) to raise public awareness of parish and town council elections in 2023, and (2) to encourage more people to stand for election to improve the diversity of councillors.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Elections are essential for good local democracy. Parish and town council elections are delivered by the principal local authorities for their areas, who will communicate with local electorates on forthcoming elections as they consider appropriate. They are supported in this by the independent Electoral Commission, who, as well as running national awareness campaigns, produce resources and materials to improve public understanding of all elections, available for use by local authorities As part of a forthcoming Review of Neighbourhood Governance announced in the Levelling Up White Paper, we will be reviewing the effectiveness of current neighbourhood governance including parish and town councils. Through the review, we want to make it easier for people to participate and shape the future of their neighbourhoods.

Local Government: Standards

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sector support funding for local government improvement they have provided through a grant directly to (1) the Local Government Association, and (2) the National Association of Local Councils, in the financial years (a) 2019–20, (b) 2020–21, (c) 2021–22, and (d) 2022–23.

Lord Harrington of Watford: DLUHC granted the Local Government Association £19.2 million in 2019-20, £19.2 million in 2020-21, £18.8 million in 2021-22 and £18 million in 2022-23, to deliver local government sector support programmes.No sector support grants for local government improvement were provided by DLUHC to the National Association of Local Councils during this period.The Levelling Up White Paper outlines the UK Government's commitment to establish a Neighbourhood Governance Review. This will explore the current effectiveness of neighbourhood governance models and how they can be strengthened, including the role of town and parish councils.

Parish and Town Councils: Domestic Visits

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (1) ministers, and (2) officials, to visit parish and town councils to improve their understanding of the councils’ work and challenges.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Ministers and officials regularly visit communities across the UK, to hear from a range of voices from all tiers of government, the public and private sectors, and community and voluntary groupsIn the Levelling Up White Paper the UK Government committed to a Review of Neighbourhood Governance, including the role and functions of parish councils. This will look at how to make it easier for local people to come together to set local priorities and shape the future of their neighbourhoods. As part of this work, we will want to hear from a range of parish councils about their work and the challenges they face.

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact assessment they have carried out on the proposals to extend the Right to Buy of housing association properties on the availability of associations' (1) stock, and (2) homes to rent.

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatadditional funds they will make available to Housing Associations to enable them (1) to increase their stock of properties ahead of proposals on extending Right-to-Buy, and (2) to offset the impact on their balance sheets.

Lord Harrington of Watford: This Government is committed to the Right to Buy, which has helped nearly two million social housing tenants to realise their dream of home ownership.We want housing association tenants to have the same opportunity as local authority tenants and to be able to enjoy the benefits that homeownership brings. That is why the Prime Minister announced on the 9 June 2022 the intention to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants.We will work closely with the housing association sector on the design of the scheme, including consideration of the impact on housing association stock levels and their balance sheets. We will make sure that the scheme is designed in a way that enables the homes sold to be replaced one-for-one, and we will produce a full impact assessment of this policy in due course, ahead of the scheme’s introduction.

Local Government: Climate Change

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the findings of the report by the National Association of Local Councils, What can local councils do on climate change?, published on 25 October 2021.

Lord Harrington of Watford: Town and parish councils have an important role in improving the well-being of their communities and helping them overcome challenges, including climate change. The Government welcomes the 2021 report by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), who we meet regularly with at a ministerial and official level.The Levelling Up White Paper outlines the UK Government’s plans to set up a Neighbourhood Governance Review to examine the effectiveness of current arrangements and make it easier for local people and community groups to come together to set local priorities and shape the future of their neighbourhoods. As the membership body for parish councils, NALC will be a key stakeholder of this work.

Cabinet Office

HIV Infection: Death

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government howmany people died in England from an AIDS-related illness in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Lord True: A response to the noble Lord’s Parliamentary Question of 13 July is below and attached. Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National StatisticianLord Black of BrentwoodHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW19 July 2022Dear Lord Black,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people died in England from an AIDS-related illness in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available (HL1722).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths registered in England and Wales. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. Causes mentioned on the death certificate are converted to International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, with the underlying cause of death defined as the disease or injury that initiated the events that directly lead to the death. At the ONS, we use the term “due to” to refer to the underlying cause of a death. Table 1 of the attached dataset shows the number of number of deaths due to HIV disease ICD-10 codes, from 2011 to 2021, registered in England.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian DiamondTable 1: Number of deaths [1] due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease ICD-10 codes [2], by year, 2011 to 2021 [3], England [4]YearB20B21B22B23B24Total Per Year201110118302971852012109273122112002013963038298201201483361081515220159639641616120167443610191522017903476201572018782875151332019642811710120202068202012131332021761521320135Total per code9353181871351541729Source: Office for National StatisticsFootnotes:[1] Number of deaths by ICD-10 code are available through our explorable dataset NOMIS from 2013 onwards, this can be accessed here: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary.asp?reset=yes&mode=construct&dataset=161&version=0&anal=1&initsel= [2] International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) codes are as follows: B20, HIV disease resulting in infectious and parasitic diseases; B21, HIV disease resulting in malignant neoplasms; B22, HIV disease resulting in other specified diseases; B23, HIV disease resulting in other conditions; B24, Unspecified HIV disease.[3] Figures are for deaths registered in a calendar year, rather than death occurrences.[4] Figures are based on area of usual residence and exclude non-residents.UKSA response to HL1722 (pdf, 125.9KB)

Department for International Trade

Trade Promotion: Prime Minister

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the priority objectives of a Prime Minister's trade envoy.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK’s economic growth and help businesses take advantage of the overseas opportunities arising from our global trade agenda.They champion Global Britain and promote the UK as a destination of choice for inward investment across all regions of the UK, helping to level up the country by supplementing the UK’s existing trade relations in their respective markets, working with our regional Trade Commissioners and global network to promote British business across the globe.

Trade Promotion: Prime Minister

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for selection to be a Prime Minister's trade envoy.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and from across the political spectrum. As unpaid roles they are chosen based on relevant skills, experience and their appetite to undertake the role. Experience can be related to a particular market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Telephone Services: Universal Service Obligation

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 20 July (HL1533), whetherthe Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003 requires the provision of landlines to all (1) homes, (2) businesses, and (3) public sector organisations, in the UK.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003 requires at least one designated universal service provider to meet all reasonable requests by end-users for connection at a fixed location to the public electronic communications network and for access to publicly available telephone services over that communications network. The connection must be capable of allowing end-users to make and receive local, national and international telephone calls and facsimile.These connections are available to residential premises, businesses and public sector organisations where a reasonable request is made.

Telephone Services

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 20 July (HL1533), whetherexisting landline connections will remain available to all those that wish to retain them.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The requirements set out in the Schedule to the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003 mean certain providers (currently BT and KCOM) must continue to meet reasonable requests to provide a connection capable of allowing end-users to make and receive local, national and international telephone calls and facsimile.Accordingly, landline-only connections will remain available for customers who wish to retain them.Increasingly, telecommunications providers are moving customers away from the traditional telephone network to a digital alternative, which means it is likely these customers will increasingly be provided with their landline services over a fixed voice-over-IP connection.

Internet: Abuse

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Online Safety Bill will protect local councillors and council employees at all levels of local government from online abuse.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Online Safety Bill will protect all users, including local councillors and council employees, from abuse online.Services in scope of the Bill will need to ensure that illegal content in scope is removed swiftly and that the risk of it appearing and spreading is minimised by effective systems. Category one services must be clear how they address priority content that is harmful to adults, and enforce their terms of service consistently. Priority categories of content which are harmful to adults and children will be set out in secondary legislation and are likely to include some types of online abuse and harassment.Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers available to use against companies who fail their duties. These powers include fines for companies of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying annual global turnover, and business disruption measures.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Ceremonies

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the UK’s diversity will be reflected in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the make-up of the Commonwealth Games creative delivery team reflects the diversity of the UK.

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Commonwealth Games creative delivery team will ensure that content reflects diversity and avoids stereotypical imagery.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games ceremonies have been developed by a diverse group of some of the finest creative talents the UK has to offer. This consists of Iqbal Khan as Artistic Director; Maeve Clarke as Writer; Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness as Music Director; Misty Buckley as Production Designer; Hamish Hamilton as Broadcast Director and Steven Knight CBE as Executive Producer.They are bringing together some of the city’s most celebrated artists and promoting its emerging talent on a global stage. From Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi to vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambini, they will welcome the Commonwealth to Birmingham and showcase the very best of the West Midlands and the whole of the UK to a global audience.

Gambling: Video Games

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase monitoring of third-party websites that enable the trading of loot box items.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the link between loot boxes and problem gambling.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether loot boxes are (1) games of chance, and (2) capable of being exchanged for real money.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Her Majesty’s Government’s response to the call for evidence sets out our findings on loot boxes, and our view on the next steps to address the issues it identified.The call for evidence identified an association between the purchase of loot boxes and problem gambling. There are, however, a range of plausible explanations for this association, and research has not established whether a causal relationship exists.Loot boxes vary in their design and deployment within games. Loot box rewards are usually confined for use within a given game and cannot be sold for real world currency, so are unlikely to meet the Gambling Act 2005's definition of a prize of ‘money or money’s worth’.It is for the Gambling Commission to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to pursue enforcement action against any operations which it believes to be facilitating unlicensed gambling. It has shown that it can and will take action where the trading of items obtained from loot boxes brings loot box mechanics within the statutory definitions of gambling. Its recent uplift in fees has given the regulator new resources to monitor for and tackle unlicensed gambling.